


Alive

by GreenPhoenix



Category: Oz (TV)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-24
Updated: 2015-01-24
Packaged: 2018-03-08 20:35:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3222572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenPhoenix/pseuds/GreenPhoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: Chris survives the fall; he comes back to a very troubled Toby. He tries to help in his own way, but of course Keller’s way causes more problems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alive

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WarpedMinded](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarpedMinded/gifts).



”He lives,” thought McManus. It wasn’t what he’d expected, but there you go.  
Chris Keller had fallen during a spat with Beecher, and he’d been in a coma since then.  
Now he had awoken.  
One more person to put back in EmCity.  
The place was crowded as ever, new arrivals and old inmates making a large, unwieldy mass. Were was he supposed to put Keller?  
There was a mostly harmless accountant, who’d wound up here almost by mistake.  
No, he couldn’t put Keller there.  
Of course the guy had killed his boss, but that was after years of harassment and sheer mental torture.  
Beecher. Ah well, their long and destructive history would repeat itself again.  
Beecher had been in fights with other inmates ever since EmCity reopened.  
He was troubled, and Keller was the reason he was back here.  
McManus sighed. He decided to put them back together anyway.  
Maybe they’d finally kill each other, and he’d be rid of them.  
Keller would be pleased at least.  
How would Beecher react?  
Pete had given up on trying to reason with him. He was half feral all the time now.

*  
Keller glanced at the new EmCity. Neat.  
He was finally awake, and back where he belonged.  
Toby was here somewhere that was all he needed to know to feel a little pleased.  
A blond guy gave him an interested look.  
Well, look but you can’t touch.  
He already knew he’d be back with Toby, so Mineo guiding him back was just a minor annoyance.  
“Here you go,” said Mineo. “Try not to kill each other today. I hate doing that much paperwork. Take care, boys.”  
Keller saw Toby, who was facing away from him, muttering a nursery rhyme.  
Here we go.

*  
“Toby,” he said.  
Beecher turned and smiled at him. He was bearded, and smelled like he hadn’t washed for days. What had happened while he was gone?  
“Chris-to-pher,” said Toby. “You are dead. I killed you even though I love you. That’s funny, you ruined my life and I still love you.”  
“I’m alive Tobe,” he said and took Toby’s hand.  
He let it touch his arm.  
“See. I’m flesh just like you.”  
“Can you be? I nearly killed my last cellie, he kept talking all the time, damn annoying. Are you really Keller and not a dream?”  
“I’m real,” he repeated.  
He pulled Toby into an embrace, and Toby let him.  
“You smell like him,” he said and hugged back hard, leaning his head against Chris’ shoulder.  
“You feel like him, all hard and muscular and warm. I guess you are him, huh?”  
“Yes, baby,” he said. Fucking Mineo had better leave them alone now.  
“I love you,” sobbed Toby into his arms and Chris stroked his hair gently.  
“I know,” he said. “I’m not leaving you again.”  
“This is a good dream,” said Toby.

*  
“What happened to Beecher?” asked Keller.  
Sister Pete sighed. “It’s a long story, Chris,” she said.  
“I have time.”  
“Okay. After he thought you were dead he went out of his mind. He fought with his cellmate, and spent time in the hole and psych ward. He’s doing better now.”  
“Better? He’s a fucking mess.”  
“You should have seen him before. He’ll get that you’re alive and soon enough he’ll be fine.”  
“So I’ll take care of him.”  
“Yes. Isn’t that what people in love do?”  
“Even in Oz, yeah. I’ll look out for him. Is he seeing you?”  
“Yes. You being here will help even more. Just hold onto him.”  
“Have I ever done anything else?”  
“In your own inimitable way, no” said Pete and sighed.

*  
“You are real,” said Toby again.  
Chris nodded and held Toby’s arm. Touch was a good way of reassuring Toby he was alive.  
“You left me alone. I was with some complete loser, and I shanked him for not being you,” said Toby.  
“Poor bastard,” said Chris. He didn’t really care, but he tried to pretend that he did.  
“He hated me,” said Toby. “Not like you.”  
“Remember that Toby.”  
“I never forgot. I just got so cloudy with all the drugs they gave me in psych ward. I got off them. Said’s still dead huh?”  
“Yes.”  
“I miss him. Missed you more though.”  
Well that was something.  
“I want to see you every day,” said Toby.  
“You will, “ said Chris.  
Toby’s family would come to see him soon, that would do him good. 

*  
“I saw my daughter,” said Toby. “She was so lovely and I missed her so much.”  
“I know,” said Chris.  
“I’ll never be with her like a real father, but maybe that’s for the best.”  
“Don’t say that. She’s your kid and she loves you.”  
“Yeah. You’re going to be my cellie forever right?”  
“Yes,” said Chris.  
“I should shave,” said Toby.  
He wished Toby had shaved before seeing Holly, but he couldn’t push him too hard, too soon.  
He was coping, though.

*  
He awoke seeing Toby looking at him. He had shaved, and he looked good.  
“What?” he asked.  
“Nothing. Just a bad dream. “  
Toby touched his arm carefully. All this touching was really turning him on, but he wouldn’t push Toby too much.  
“Fuck me,” said Toby.  
“You sure?”  
“I’m stronger than you think. Fuck me Chris.”  
Well, if he insisted.  
Chris did, but very carefully touching Toby for the first time like this in years.  
It felt good.  
*  
In the morning he had no regrets, thankfully.  
He just smiled at Chris.  
“I still hate you for fucking up my parole,” Toby said good-naturedly. “But last night was good so maybe I’ll forgive you.”  
“How nice of you.”  
“I know.”  
“Count!” yelled Murphy.  
So they were counted. Beecher gave an intimidating smile to the guy he’d shanked.   
“He still pisses himself when he sees me,” said Toby.  
“That’s my Tobe,” said Chris and sounded pleased.  
“If you don’t behave I’ll shank you.”  
“I’m on my best behavior.”  
“Later you can suck me,” said Toby.  
That would be no hardship.

*  
Chris came back from one of his jaunts to find Toby sitting in his bunk, muttering to himself.  
“One two buckle my shoe..”  
“Are you okay?” Chris asked.  
“No..” he said. His hands were covered in blood.   
“What did you do?” asked Chris and led Toby to the sink where he washed his hands.  
“I killed him,” said Toby and watched the reddish water swirl.  
“Who did you kill, baby?”  
“An Aryan fuck. He tried to hurt me.”  
“Did anyone see you?”  
“No.”  
“Keep your mouth shut about this Tobe. Don’t tell anyone.”  
“Why not?”  
“You’ll die.”  
“You died and came back just like Jesus. You came back for me. I’ll come back to you.”  
“No. Don’t leave me. Stay, keep your secrets.”  
“I will. I won’t hurt anyone else Chris. He started it.”  
“I know,” said Chris. “I know.”  
*

“Do you know anything about a dead Aryan?” asked McManus.  
“No,” said Chris.  
“Someone carved him up real good.”  
“That’s too bad. It’s Oz and these things happen.”  
“I know they do Keller. So did you see anything?”  
“Nope,” said Keller and perfected his poker face.  
Fuck, he wasn’t giving Toby up no matter how mad he went.  
*  
“Tobias is getting unhinged,” said sister Pete.  
“I know,” said Chris.  
“Maybe he gets it from you.”  
“Didn’t he get better when I got back?”  
“He did,” agreed Pete. “So you didn’t make him worse?”  
“No. I got him cleaned up last week so he could see Holly and Angus. I’m doing my best, sister.”  
“Maybe he needs to be in psych ward.”  
“No, no..I’ve got him sister.”  
“You’d better.”  
*  
That night Toby was feral, but not dangerously so. He crawled into Chris’ bunk and fucked him hard. Keller didn’t mind, he reveled in the nails and bites on his neck.  
His orgasm was one for the ages.  
He realized Toby was trying to please him by adapting to how he was.  
Good.  
That way he could teach him how to avoid feeling guilt.  
*  
“No guilt over the dead,” said Chris to Toby.  
“None,” he said. “So many of them though.”  
“It’s okay to mourn your loved ones, “ said Chris. “Your son, your wife, your father. Even Said,” he allowed. “But fuck mourning Vern and his sons. Fuck mourning Metzger.”  
“Kathy,” said Toby.  
“She was a kid, so mourn her,”  
“I’d mourn you.”  
“You won’t need to. I’ll always be with you.”  
“You will?”  
“I promise, my love, I promise.”  
“Never leave me again.”  
“Never, Toby, never.”  
“Good.”  
“Don’t tell anyone about your kills.”  
“Not even you?”  
“Tell me, but no one else. You can trust me with your darkness Toby. I can carry it for you.”  
“Yes,” said Toby. “You will. I hunger for more.”  
“You’re in the right place, baby,” said Chris. “Just trust me.”’  
“With my life.”

*  
“Tobias is doing better,” said Pete.   
“Good,” said Chris. “Told you he would.”  
“I think whatever you’re doing is working.”  
“Indeed,” said Keller and smiled to himself.  
He had created a monster in his own image. He was pleased, his vision was beautiful and he had him to himself.  
Well, Toby would still see his family, and be there for them as often as he could.  
*  
“Hey asshole,” said the new guy in the lunch queue. “Move it.”  
“Sure, “ said Beecher and moved.  
He was too impatient for his own good, that one.  
If he kept it up, Toby would deal with him just like the others.  
Chris had told him to hide his anger, and wait for the right time.  
“Fucking pussy,” said the newcomer. Living on borrowed time, thought Toby.  
“Hey,” said Ryan. “You don’t wanna mess with Beech.”  
“Why not?”  
“You’ll see,” said Ryan and smiled.  
The killer couple of EmCity and their best friend were not to be messed with.  
Everyone knew that.

*  
“I killed the newbie,” said Toby.  
“I know. He was annoying. Any guilt?”  
“No. I feel good. Kinda horny too.”  
“Even better, nothing’s as good as a fuck after you’ve made a fresh kill,” said Chris in a husky whisper, his lips at Toby’s neck.   
“I wanna fuck you,” said Toby, his eyes burning with intensity.  
“Go on,” said Chris, very pleased.  
Toby let loose with enthusiasm, and made him see stars.  
The feel of his hands on Chris was fierce, like they were turning into claws. He scratched at Chris while he fucked him, and shouted his name with relish. Keller had never felt more connected to Toby, never so completely filled with his essence. They could share so many more things now, on a deeper level than before.  
Afterwards they law in the bunk.   
Toby listened to Chris’ heartbeat.  
“You are so alive,” he said.  
“Yes. So are you, now”  
“I love you,” said Toby. “I love you so fucking much.”  
“I love you too.”  
Their whispers drifted into the darkness, filling the empty spaces of EmCity.


End file.
